Year of the Mouse

Includes unlimited streaming via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.Also includes:- pdf of jacket artwork, both front and back, with track listing, all credits and contact information.- pdf with lyrics to all the songs

$7USD or more

Compact Disc (CD)

CD copy of "Year of the Mouse" album, jacket signed by Eytan Mirsky
Includes unlimited streaming of Year of the Mouse
via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.

about

5th album from the man best known for the songs he contributed to the indie films "Happiness," "American Splendor" and "The Tao of Steve."

Mike Baron on "Pop Geek Heaven" website:

Mirsky writes killer power pop and studio genius Jon Gordon supplies most of the instrumentals. The record has a remarkably consistent sound all the way through and you can clearly hear every word. Gordon also produced Marco Joachim’s Hidden Symphonies. ”This Year’s Gonna Be Our Year” is softly charging rock and rue with hand-claps and a Dick Dale undertow. Rue rules “The Weed In Your Garden,” good bones, about unrequited love. Gordon brings a little Nashville to the guitars. ”Positive Energy” is Power Pop 101 from the same school that produced the Cars and the Rubinoos. ”Split In Two” is a viscerally compelling, instantly memorable song about getting it on. ”I Know Victoria’s Secret” is like Bowie in subject matter and tone although you couldn’t imagine two more different singers.

”Another Week or Two” is stompin’ Gin Blossoms that stops dead for the fateful beat of the clock before roaring back to life. ”What You Don’t Want” reminded me of Broken Promise Keepers–that type of elemental but satisfying theme/chorus/bridge. ”A Little Heartache” sounds like a Hank Williams song and Mirsky gives it the Williams treatment. ”Growing Up” is a rueful medication and childhood that hits the bullseye.
Four and a half stars.

contact / help

Hey, hey!
Do you remember way back in January
The way we had it all worked out?
Knew what we wanted, knew what to do to get it,
If there was ever any doubt then we’d say,

“This year’s gonna be our year,
Don’t you know it’s gonna be our year now,
Much better than last year,
Which wasn’t good at all.
This year’s gonna be our year,
Don’t you know it’s gonna be our year now,
Much better than last year,
Which wasn’t good at all.”

And do you remember the way we felt in August
When nothing seemed to go as planned?
We didn’t waver,
We never hesitated
‘Cause it was time to make a stand. And we said,

“This year’s gonna be our year,
Don’t you know it’s gonna be our year now,
Much better than last year,
Which wasn’t good at all.
This year’s gonna be our year,
I can tell it’s gonna be our year now,
Much better than last year,
Which wasn’t good at all.”

Now we’ve reached December,
And it’s been so disappointing
That we’re glad this sorry year’s about to end.
But in just a little while
We’ll be back in January,
And you know we’re gonna start it all again.
And we’ll say,

“This year’s gonna be our year,
Don’t you know it’s gonna be our year now,
Much better than last year
And the year before.
This year’s gonna be our year,
Don’t you know it’s gonna be our year now,
Much better than last year,
Which wasn’t good at all.”

Track Name: The Weed in Your Garden

THE WEED IN YOUR GARDEN

You never planted the seed, but one day
I just started to grow,
Hiding my roots in between all the flowers
Where no one would know.
Soon I was everywhere you didn’t want me to be.
I am the weed in your garden of love;
You can’t kill me.

You gave the flowers the love and attention
that you had to give.
But you made it clear from the start that you don’t even
want me to live.
I’ve got a beauty inside that I want you to see.
I am the weed in your garden of love;
You can’t kill me.

You can’t kill me, no matter how you try.
No poisons can drive me away.
You can get on your knees and uproot me,
But I’ll grow back the very next day.

Soon when the weather gets cold
And the delicate flowers are gone.
I’ll still be here in the garden with you,
And that’s where I belong.
Some day I’ll reach for the sun
And grow tall as a tree.
I am the weed in your garden of love;
You can’t kill me.
I am the weed in your garden of love;
You can’t kill me.
You can’t kill me.

Track Name: Positive Energy

POSITIVE ENERGY

Sometimes I wake up and I’m feeling so low
That I can’t find a reason to move.
Get out of bed and then I stumble around,
But I can’t seem to get in the groove.
My knees are weak, and I’m ready to fall.
But then I look at your face on the wall.
I get some…

Positive energy,
I can feel it come over me.
Positive energy,
Whenever I look at you.
Positive energy,
I can feel it come over me.
Positive energy,
Whenever I look at you – that’s all that I want to do.

I’m pushing paper at a cubicle job,
And it’s driving me out of my head.
Making a living so I shouldn’t complain,
But it’s making me feel like I’m dead.
By five o’clock I can’t take anymore.
I’ll be all right if I get to your door.
I need some…

Positive energy,
I can feel it come over me.
Positive energy,
Whenever I look at you.
Positive energy,
I can feel it come over me.
Positive energy,
Whenever I look at you – that’s all that I want to do.

When it feels like the weight of the world is
Dragging me down down down.
You got the power to pick me up off of the ground.
You gotta give it to me.

If I should ever catch some crazy disease,
And they say that my future’s in doubt,
I’ll tell the doctors diagnosing my case
They don’t know what they’re talking about.
Stop all the treatments to keep me alive!
There’s only one thing I need to survive.
And that’s some…

Positive energy,
I can feel it come over me.
Positive energy,
Whenever I’m holding you.
Positive energy,
I can feel it come over me.
Positive energy,
Whenever I’m holding you – that’s all that I want to do.

Track Name: Split in Two

SPLIT IN TWO

I never had a problem with the way you showed affection.
I never said the love we made was ever second rate.
But now I’ve found a way to make things so much more exciting
‘Cause every time we get it on I disassociate.

Whenever I make love to you, I split in two – I split in two.
What a beautiful thing to do: I split in two – I split in two.
One half is taking care of business
While the other half is enjoying the view.
Whenever I make love to you I split in two.

Now every night I rush you into bed, and I undress you.
I give you a caress or two – I guess that’s only fair.
And when I reach the height of passion, then I start dividing,
So I can watch the action sitting in the corner chair.

Whenever I make love to you, I split in two – I split in two.
What a beautiful thing to do: I split in two – I split in two.
One half is taking care of business
While the other half is enjoying the view.
Whenever I make love to you I split in two.

The farther away I split, the better it feels to me.
If I could get a hundred yards away, well, that would be ecstasy.
Ecstasy!

Whenever I make love to you, I split in two – I split in two.
What a beautiful thing to do: I split in two – I split in two.
One half is taking care of business
While the other half is enjoying the view.
Whenever I make love to you.

Whenever I make love to you, I split in two – I split in two.
What a beautiful thing to do: I split in two – I split in two.
One half is taking care of business
While the other half is enjoying the view.
Whenever I make love to you I split in two.
Whenever I make love to you I split in two.
Whenever I make love to you I split in two.

Track Name: I Know Victoria's Secret

I KNOW VICTORIA’S SECRET

I know this girl named Victoria.
All of my boys want to get with her.
One look from her makes ‘em jump and shout,
Stand on the street with their tongues hanging out.
But not me,
‘Cause I know that there’s something not right
That she keeps out of sight.

I know Victoria’s Secret.
That girl’s been living a lie.
I know Victoria’s Secret.
She used to be a guy.

Don’t be deceived by the clothes she wears
Or the extensions up in her hair.
Her Adam’s apple is hard to miss
When you reach over and you grab a kiss.
But not me,
‘Cause I know that there’s something not right
That she keeps out of sight.

I know Victoria’s Secret.
That girl’s been living a lie.
I know Victoria’s Secret.
She used to be a guy.

If you don’t trust me, well, that’s okay.
I guess you’ll find out in your own way.
Go take her out now and have your fun.
Soon you’ll be crying to everyone.
But not me,
‘Cause I know that there’s something not right
That she keeps out of sight.

I know Victoria’s Secret.
That girl’s been living a lie.
I know Victoria’s Secret.
She used to be a guy.

I know Victoria’s Secret.

Track Name: Another Week or Two

ANOTHER WEEK OR TWO

You hurt me so bad when you left me,
I couldn’t get out of bed.
I lay there and stared at the ceiling,
Pretending that I was dead.

Now in another week or two I’ll get over you;
I won’t be waiting for your call.
Now in another week or two I’ll get over you,
And I won’t feel no hurt at all.
But now I’m wondering how I’ll ever make it through
Another week,
Another week or two.

My friends all invite me to parties,
They drag me out on the town.
But I just keep talking about you –
Now they don’t want me around.

Now in another week or two I’ll get over you;
I won’t be waiting for your call.
Now in another week or two I’ll get over you,
And I won’t feel no hurt at all.
But now I’m wondering how I’ll ever make it through
Another week,
Another week or two.

They say that time will heal all wounds,
And I believe it will.
But tell me how when now it seems like
Time is standing still.

I met a young lady this weekend.
She took me up to her place.
I started to lean in and kiss her,
But I kept seeing your face.

Now in another week or two I’ll get over you;
I won’t be waiting for your call.
Now in another week or two I’ll get over you,
And I won’t feel no hurt at all.
But now I’m wondering how I’ll ever make it through
Another week,
Another week or two.
Another week or two.
Another week or two.
Another week or two.
Another week or two – just another week
Another week or two – and then another week
Another week or two – just another week
Another week or two – and then another week
Another week

Track Name: What You Don't Want

WHAT YOU DON'T WANT

Yeah!
All right.
Check it out!

When I told her I loved her,
She said, ”That’s so nice of you to say.
And you’ve been such a good good friend,
But you know I don’t see you that way.”
I said, “Just think it over,
Maybe you could try to change your mind.”
She said, “That’s not the way things work,
And there’s no point in living a lie.”

She said, “You can’t make yourself want what you don’t want
Even if you wish you could want it.
You can’t make yourself need what you don’t need
Just because you stumbled upon it.
You can’t make yourself love somebody you don’t,
Yeah, it’s understood
That you can’t make yourself want what you don’t want
Even if you wish you could.”

I said, “If there’s a problem,
Won’t you tell me what I need to do.
If there’s something that I should change,
Let me know and I’ll change it for you.”
She said, “That’s not the answer;
You are just way you’re meant to be.
You’ve got all that girl could want;
It’s a shame that that girl isn’t me.”

She said, “You can’t make yourself want what you don’t want
Even if you wish you could want it.
You can’t make yourself need what you don’t need
Just because you stumbled upon it.
You can’t make yourself love somebody you don’t,
Yeah, it’s understood
That you can’t make yourself want what you don’t want
Even if you wish you could.”

She said, “Nobody knows why we want what we want,
But we want what we want just the same.”
She said, “Nobody knows why we want what we want,
But we know that there’s no one to blame.”

No no no…

She said, “Please don’t be angry;
I don’t want to see you hurt at all.
I’ve got a friend with a thing for you.
If you’d like let me give her a call.”
I said, “That’s not the answer
‘Cause I met your friend a time or two.
She’s got all that a guy could want.
It’s a shame that she’ll never be you.”

I said, “You can’t make yourself want what you don’t want
Even if you wish you could want it.
You can’t make yourself need what you don’t need
Just because you stumbled upon it.
You can’t make yourself love somebody you don’t,
Yeah, it’s understood
That you can’t make yourself want what you don’t want
Even if you wish you could.”

She said, “You can’t make yourself want what you don’t want.
You can’t make yourself want what you don’t.”
I said, “You can’t make yourself want what you don’t want.
You can’t make yourself want what you don’t…”

Track Name: I'm Losing You

I’M LOSING YOU

I’m holding the phone so close
It’s like a part of my ear.
All I hear is a burst of static,
Then you just disappear.

Don’t forget who you really are.
Don’t forget who you’re meant to be.
Don’t forget who you really are,
Not what everyone thinks they see.
Now you may think you need to put on a show,
But don’t let that go too far.
There’ll come a day when that’ll all fall away –
Don’t forget who you really are.

Don’t forget who you really are.
When you don’t have to toe the line.
Don’t forget who you really are,
When you’re not scared to speak your mind.
Now you may think you need to put on a show,
But don’t let that go too far.
There’ll come a day when that’ll all fall away –
So don’t forget who you really are.

Sometimes it’s so hard to find a place in this world.
It makes you do things you don’t want to do;
You make compromises just to survive,
But you know deep inside that’s not you.
No, it’s not really you.

Don’t forget who you really are.
When no one’s there to second guess.
Don’t forget who you really are,
When there’s nobody to impress.
Now you may think you need to put on a show,
But don’t let that go too far.
There’ll come a day when that’ll all fall away –
So don’t forget who you really are.
Don’t forget who you really are.

Track Name: Except When I'm Talking to You

EXCEPT WHEN I’M TALKING TO YOU

I can see this conversation
Isn’t going in the way I planned.
I can see your eyes glaze over,
And it’s hard for me to understand, so…

Tell me why I’m an interesting guy –
Except when I’m talking to you.
‘Cause no one tells a story better than I –
Except when I’m talking to you.
I know you’ll never believe it, but I promise, girl, that it’s true.
Tell me why I’m an interesting guy –
Except when I’m talking to you.

I can go to any party,
Have ‘em hanging on my every word.
They can throw out any subject,
And I’ll rock it like you’ve never heard, so…

Tell me why I’m an interesting guy –
Except when I’m talking to you.
‘Cause no one tells a story better than I –
Except when I’m talking to you.
I know you’ll never believe it, but I promise, girl, that it’s true.
Tell me why I’m an interesting guy –
Except when I’m talking to you.

I used to think that it was just infatuation
That made me act so awkwardly.
But now I know that it’s your total lack of interest
That’s bringing out the boring side of me.

You don’t give me much to work with,
Still I beat my head against the wall.
Doesn’t matter what I’m saying;
Your expression doesn’t change at all, so…

Tell me why I’m an interesting guy –
Except when I’m talking to you.
‘Cause no one tells a story better than I –
Except when I’m talking to you.
I know you’ll never believe it, but I promise, girl, that it’s true.
Tell me why I’m an interesting guy –
Except when I’m talking to you.
Tell me why I’m an interesting guy –
Except when I’m talking to you.
Except when I’m talking to you…

Track Name: A Little Heartache

A LITTLE HEARTACHE

You thought I would fall apart when you said goodbye.
You thought I would run away and lay down and die.
Well, I don’t mind me a little rain when I’m waiting for the sun.
A little heartache never hurt no one.

You thought I would be afraid to find someone new.
You thought I would stay alone. Well, that joke’s on you.
‘Cause I don’t mind me a little pain when I’m waiting on the fun.
A little heartache never hurt no one.

A little heartache now and then
Gets me on my toes again.
A little heartache lets me see
Just how strong my heart can be.

I’m a man who takes a punch and keeps fighting on.
I get up and lick my wounds, and my pain is gone.
Go ahead, try and shoot me down; you ain’t carryin’ no gun.
A little heartache never hurt no one.
A little heartache never hurt no one.
A little heartache never hurt no one.

Track Name: Growing Up

GROWING UP

All my high school friends are off in college now.
And I get high and watch TV all day.
Living in my mother’s basement’s really not that bad;
I got everything I need, and I don’t pay.

And I never asked to grow up, so please don’t make me do it.
I wasn’t meant to grow up -- don’t think I’ll make it through it.
Things have been going south since I hit puberty;
It looks like growing up is just too much for me.

I was doing fine when I was still a kid,
Swapping baseball cards and playing ball.
Then came high school classes that I couldn’t understand
And girls who wouldn’t notice me at all.

But I never asked to grow up, so please don’t make me do it.
I wasn’t meant to grow up -- don’t think I’ll make it through it.
Things have been going south since I hit puberty;
It looks like growing up is just too much for me.

When people say I need to make a move,
I just agree with them, but I say, “Not now;
No, not right now.”
And when they say I need to get a life,
I just agree with them, but I don’t know how.
No, I don’t know how…

I never asked to grow up, so please don’t make me do it.
I wasn’t meant to grow up -- don’t think I’ll make it through it.
Things have been going south since I hit puberty;
It looks like growing up is just too much for me.
It looks like growing up is just too much for me.
It looks like growing up is just too much for me.

Track Name: Everybody Needs Something...

EVERYBODY NEEDS SOMETHING…

If you feel like complaining ‘bout anything at all,
Don’t be shy.
Doesn’t make any difference what’s ticking you off,
Or why.
Let all that anger flow;
You got a right to let the people know.

Everybody needs something to bitch about,
Even when they know there’s nothing wrong.
Everybody wants to throw a pity party,
Even when they know they don’t belong.
Everybody’s breaking out their violins
And playing us their same sad songs.
Everybody needs something to bitch about.
Even when there’s nothing wrong.

Don’t you worry if somebody else has got it worse
Than you do.
You’ve heard so many others much better off complain
to you.
Get it all off your chest;
Deep down inside you’re just like all the rest.

Everybody needs something to bitch about,
Even when they know there’s nothing wrong.
Everybody wants to throw a pity party,
Even when they know they don’t belong.
Everybody’s breaking out their violins
And playing us their same sad songs.
Everybody needs something to bitch about.
Even when there’s nothing wrong.

That’s the thing that’s always made the world go ‘round
Ever since it all began:
Everybody bitchin’ to everyone else;
That’s the brotherhood of man.

You’re just like all the rest;
Isn’t it time to get it off your chest.

Everybody needs something to bitch about,
Even when they know there’s nothing wrong.
Everybody wants to throw a pity party,
Even when they know they don’t belong.
Everybody’s breaking out their violins
And playing us their same sad songs.
Everybody needs something to bitch about.
Even when there’s nothing wrong.
Even when there’s nothing wrong.